Chapter 537: Terumī Mei vs. Kakuzu
Iwagakure, in the Tsuchikage Tower. Ōnoki, Ikura, and the others were in a meeting.
Ikura said, "Lord Third, are you sure we don't need to inform Ishiro? Konoha has already made its move. If he were here, he'd definitely stir something up."
Ōnoki shook his head. "Let's just stay quiet for once."
"Besides, he was the one who set the two-month deadline with Konoha. He should know they would take action at this time."
"Since he hasn't reacted by now, it means he doesn't want to get involved."
"And even if he forgot, are you really going to remind him? Send him into danger?"
Ikura rubbed his nose, thinking to himself, "He's right. What's wrong with me? I used to be the one who always opposed him going out to cause trouble. How have I gotten used to it?"
After a moment, Ikura said, "Ishiro does seem to have something on his mind. Ever since he returned from the front, he's seemed distracted. Perhaps he's run into trouble with his training."
Ōnoki nodded. "His Light Release fusion is almost complete. We shouldn't disturb him. Han, why don't you go stand guard by the White Sphere Laboratory? Make sure nothing goes wrong."
"Once the Light Release fusion is successful, the five-nature fusion is the hardest part. He's probably worried about that."
He said that, but Ōnoki was actually thinking about what Ishiro had said... about the White Sphere's owner.
"Could it be that the White Sphere's owner has made a move?" Ōnoki wondered.
Ikura nodded. "It's true. The research team for the White Sphere has grown quite large. The village has invested a lot of money, but from the results so far, we are a long way from fully analyzing its structure. It's normal for Ishiro to be concerned."
Ikura then changed the subject. "Setting Ishiro aside, with the current situation in the shinobi world, is there anything we should be doing?"
Bella said, "Konoha has raised a defensive barrier over the village. They are clearly prepared. We should not interfere."
"Besides, even if we were to apply political or economic pressure, we should wait for the results from the Land of Wind."
"By the way, do we have the latest intelligence from the Land of Wind?"
Saka shook his head. "The combat level there is too high. Our intelligence ninja don't dare get close. They are only observing from the perimeter. However, based on their experience, both sides seem to be holding back. It doesn't look like a large-scale, life-or-death battle."
Ōnoki sighed. "It can't be helped. They are both Konoha ninja, after all. It's understandable they'd pull their punches. Let's hope Danzō wins. That way, Konoha's strength will never be unified, and they can continue their infighting."
"Alright, let's move on. How is the construction of that branch in the southwestern Land of Fire coming along?"
...
Land of Wind, in the desert.
Kakuzu and Terumī Mei were locked in a stalemate.
Kakuzu felt it was disgraceful to be matched by a junior.
He was a man who had thrown kunai at the First Hokage! How could he be unable to handle a single kunoichi from a later generation?
So, after the battle dragged on without him gaining an advantage, Kakuzu chose to split his forces. He sent two of his masked entities to flank Terumī Mei from the left and right.
Seeing this, Terumī Mei's sensual red lips curled into a subtle arc.
She hadn't been using her full strength. As a wielder of two kekkei genkai—a ninja who held the "Kage" title in the original story—how could she easily reveal her limits to an enemy?
Moreover, Terumī Mei had intel on Kakuzu. Kiri had been allies with both Iwa and Konoha. Since both villages had fought Kakuzu and had detailed files on him, Kiri naturally had them too.
Terumī Mei not only knew Kakuzu's abilities and common tactics, but most importantly, she understood his mindset. The intel showed Kakuzu had five hearts, making him incredibly difficult to kill.
Having been active since the dawn of the village era, Kakuzu's style had become arrogant. He was gradually starting to believe he was truly immortal. As a result, he tended to be reckless in battle, not knowing when to quit while he was ahead.
Based on this analysis, Terumī Mei had been waiting for him to split his forces.
Kakuzu had perhaps forgotten that he wasn't just fighting Terumī Mei. She had brought two squads with her, totaling eight Kiri elites.
These were reinforced ANBU squads, composed entirely of Jonin. Terumī Mei had ordered them to fall back from the start, minimizing their impression in Kakuzu's mind. After all, asking them to fight Kakuzu himself would be too much. But asking them to handle two of his masked entities... that was possible.
So, as soon as the two masked entities were a certain distance from Kakuzu's main body, Terumī Mei discreetly signaled her ANBU squads.
As Kiri elites, they did not disappoint. The two squads quickly re-engaged, each intercepting one of the masked entities. One was a Water Release entity, the other a Lightning Release entity.
The Lightning entity fared better, but the Water entity, facing a Kiri squad composed entirely of Jonin, was immediately put at a disadvantage.
Its single water affinity was highly ineffective against a squad of Kiri ninja.
The moment the ANBU squads emerged to intercept his masks, Kakuzu realized he'd been tricked.
But it was too late. Terumī Mei made her move.
"Boil Release: Skilled Mist Technique! Lava Release: Melting Apparition Technique!" Terumī Mei cast two kekkei genkai jutsu in succession.
She had used both of these jutsu before, but this time, the seal speed and the scale of the jutsu were on a completely different level.
Kakuzu was still regretting his mistake when she struck, and he hadn't anticipated that she'd been hiding her true strength. Caught off guard, he was immediately enveloped by the acidic mist of the Skilled Mist Technique. His body was corroded, and he was injured.
More importantly, although he quickly dashed out of the mist's range, its sight-obscuring properties prevented him from noticing the Lava Release jutsu that emerged from within it.
This was Terumī Mei's full-power, large-scale Lava Release. Kakuzu knew this was bad. He had just exited the mist and was still mid-air, with no way to dodge.
The two masked entities on his shoulders quickly detached. Using the main body as a pivot, they leaped out of the Lava Release's range. Then, from a safe distance, they both yanked on the Earth Grudge Fear tendrils connecting them to the main body, barely pulling it free.
However, the main body's heart was already destroyed, and the body itself was severely corroded.
Any normal person would have been finished, but Kakuzu didn't give up.
The Wind Release mask immediately shot a "Wind Release: Pressure Damage" jutsu into the mist as cover, while the Fire Release mask quickly replaced the main body's heart.
Then, with a new heart, Kakuzu rapidly generated a mass of Earth Grudge Fear tendrils, using them to patch together his mangled body.
This process took some time. Despite the wind mask's cover, Kakuzu was worried. If Terumī Mei attacked now, he would be in a very passive position.
He finally breathed a sigh of relief when his body was repaired. But then, he realized something was wrong.
Where was Terumī Mei?
This was reality, not an anime. No one waits for you to swap bodies and recover.
From her decisive strike just now, it was clear she wasn't a novice who would make such a basic error.
If that's the case...
"Not good." Kakuzu seemed to realize something and quickly looked toward where his Water and Lightning masks were.
As if in response to his shock, two Terumī Meis shot out of the mist from the left and right. Accompanying them were two more large-scale Lava Release jutsus.
The next instant, the two unprepared masked entities were hit, and the masks on them shattered.
Seeing this, Kakuzu knew he had lost. He didn't waste time on threats; he just turned and ran.
He ran with the same speed he'd used after throwing that kunai at the First Hokage.
If it were just Terumī Mei, her speed wouldn't have been enough to catch him.
However, the ANBU squads she brought were extremely well-rounded.
After all, they were representing Kiri, the "alliance leader," on this mission. These squads had specialists in taijutsu, genjutsu, ninjutsu, and fuinjutsu.
They coordinated with Terumī Mei, using large-scale ranged jutsu to harass Kakuzu and slow him down.
Then, the taijutsu specialists quickly closed the distance.
Kakuzu didn't get far before he was intercepted by three Kiri ninja.
These three were extremely cautious. They didn't swarm him. Two engaged him, while one circled, waiting for an opening.
When Kakuzu painfully detached his Wind mask to cover his retreat, the circling ninja immediately caught up and engaged his main body again.
Kakuzu tried to finish this Kiri Jonin quickly, but unfortunately for him, although the man looked battered and was quickly wounded, he held on just long enough for Terumī Mei and the others to arrive.
Kakuzu fell into despair. His fourth mask (the wind one) had just been destroyed by the catching-up Terumī Mei. If his main body died now, he would be well and truly dead.
He thought of Nagato and quickly funneled chakra into his Genbu ring.
But Nagato's reply was slower than he expected. Maybe the distance was too great, or maybe Nagato wasn't prepared, since Kakuzu had taken this mission privately.
In any case, by the time he was completely enveloped in Lava Release, he still hadn't received a reply.
A moment later, the Kiri ninja collected the four shattered masks, Kakuzu's ruined main body, and all the Earth Grudge Fear tendrils.
An ANBU squad leader asked Terumī Mei, "Lady Terumī, are we proceeding further into the Land of Wind?"
(Of the two squad leaders, the one who had stalled Kakuzu's main body was now heavily injured. This was the uninjured one.)
Terumī Mei looked at the heavily injured leader and her other wounded subordinates. "No, we're not. We've eliminated a Kage-level threat for Konoha; we've done more than enough. If Konoha still can't handle Danzō after this, then they're just useless."
"Besides, we're a small group, and we have too many wounded. It's not appropriate to risk joining the battle. My own chakra is also low from that fight. We'll find a place to treat the wounded, and then we're returning to the village."
"Yes, ma'am." The squad leader acknowledged and began making arrangements.
After one last glance in the direction of Konoha's Land of Wind branch, Terumī Mei and her eight subordinates left the area.
...
At Konoha's Land of Wind branch, on the battlefield with Kakashi and Danzō.
Ever since Danzō began his fight with Hiruzen Sarutobi, his control over Ryōsuke and the White Fang had weakened. This made it much easier for the Sixth-Gate Might Guy and Kakashi to deal with the two Edo Tensei.
But the immortal, indestructible nature of the Edo Tensei was still incredibly frustrating.
Their regeneration was too fast. Even though Kakashi and Guy had destroyed their bodies several times, the sealing team couldn't find an opening.
Helpless, Might Guy was forced to open the Seventh Gate. By repeatedly destroying Ryōsuke's body in an extremely short time, he finally created an opening for the sealing team.
After Ryōsuke was sealed, Might Guy helped Kakashi seal the White Fang as well.
However, this left Might Guy with no strength to continue fighting for the time being.
Kakashi entrusted Guy to Shibi Aburame's care and hurried to Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzō's location.
When Kakashi arrived, he was stunned by the scene.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was bleeding from multiple wounds, while Danzō was completely unharmed, a crazed, triumphant look on his face.
Clearly, Danzō had completely suppressed Hiruzen in their fight.
Kakashi frowned. He wasn't surprised that Hiruzen was losing; the Third had few trump cards, while Danzō had the Sharingan and Wood Release. He was surprised, however, that Terumī Mei hadn't intervened.
Kiri had dispatched her to assist Konoha, and Konoha had paid a price for it. So where was she?
According to their agreement, Terumī Mei wasn't under Kakashi's command. She was to remain hidden and choose her own moment to strike. When he didn't see her outside, Kakashi had assumed she had snuck into the compound to support Hiruzen.
But now, it seemed something had gone wrong on her end.
Danzō saw Kakashi's expression and grinned. "Kakashi, is it strange? Wondering why your reinforcements haven't arrived?"
"Hahaha, did you think only you had reinforcements? Did you think I made no preparations?"
"I'll tell you the truth: your reinforcements have been intercepted by my people."
Various thoughts raced through Kakashi's mind. Finally, he asked, "Was it the Tsuchikage?"
It wasn't Kakashi's fault he didn't guess Kakuzu; Ishiro's reputation was just that bad. He seemed to be the only person in the world who enjoyed doing this sort of thing. Whether Ishiro was responsible or not, he had to take the blame.
Danzō had taken the fall for Ishiro many times; as a staunch ally, it was Ishiro's turn to take the blame for him.
Besides, Ishiro was the one who had connected Kakuzu and Danzō in the first place. So it really was Ishiro's handiwork.
Kakashi thought, "If Ishiro really violated the treaty, this is bad. Terumī Mei facing Ishiro alone is too dangerous."
Danzō deliberately didn't answer. "Enough talk. You traitor. Today, I clean house."
With that, Danzō changed his fighting style, forming seals to use Wood Release.
Kakashi also had a Sharingan—a Mangekyō Sharingan. Danzō admitted he couldn't match the "Copy Ninja" Kakashi's familiarity with it. Furthermore, the Hatake clan specialized in kenjutsu. Although Kakashi, the oddball, hadn't inherited the White Fang's sword skills, Danzō didn't want to risk it.
He had been bullying Hiruzen, a ninjutsu-type, who was without Enma. But against the "all-rounder" Kakashi, Danzō went straight for his trump card.
Also, fighting his old friend, Danzō had subconsciously held back.
But Kakashi? He was the traitor who had stolen the Hokage title. Danzō was strong and vital; he could have been Hokage for at least another ten years! And he'd even had the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal on Kakashi; his life had been in Danzō's hands.
He had even given him the "Kō" codename, a station second only to his own. And this is how Kakashi repaid him?
Danzō couldn't stand the huge disparity. Seeing Kakashi, his rage became uncontrollable.
"Wood Release: Birth of a Dense Forest!"
As Danzō's gleeful voice fell, trees burst from the ground, surging toward Kakashi.
Wood Release could absorb chakra. Kakashi didn't dare risk it. He pulled Hiruzen back and retreated, forming seals. "Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation!"
A continuous torrent of fire spewed from Kakashi's mouth, meeting the sea of trees.
Kakashi's fire burned away swathes of trees, but Danzō was clearly unhinged. This attack was less a tactic and more a primal release of his rage. He poured chakra into the jutsu without reserve. Kakashi's burning speed couldn't keep up with his planting speed.
In an instant, the entire compound was filled with trees.
However, Kakashi and Hiruzen were not overwhelmed. Shibi Aburame, who had been waiting on the perimeter, used his kikaichū insects to lift them out.
A single insect was weak, but thousands upon thousands easily pulled the two to safety.
Enma, however, who had been suppressing the Baku, was swallowed by the forest.
But Enma transformed into the Adamantine Staff, extended rapidly, anchored one end in the ground, and stretched the other end directly to Hiruzen's side.
Hiruzen successfully pulled Enma out.
The Baku, meanwhile, used the chance to cancel its summoning. It had been badly beaten by Enma and was heavily injured.
Its master clearly could have finished Hiruzen long ago, but he'd delayed the killing blow, savoring the pleasure of dominating his old friend.
After the massive Wood Release, Danzō finally calmed down and walked out of the forest.
Seeing his own subordinates playing "house" with Kakashi's men, Danzō's gaze turned cold.
He snarled, "Traitors. All of you are traitors."
He began to form seals, intending to activate the punishing function of the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal.
Just then, his vision blurred. He felt a sense of spatial distortion.
"Not good. I'm caught in a space-time ninjutsu! It's Kakashi's dōjutsu!" Danzō snapped his gaze toward Kakashi, preparing to flee.
But Kakashi's mastery of Kamui was far greater now.
Danzō only saw the crimson flash in Kakashi's left eye before his body was torn in two.
Caught by surprise, Danzō was killed by Kamui. But it didn't matter; he had many lives.
In the next instant, his body vanished, and he reappeared nearby.
Hiruzen and Kakashi, who was clutching his left eye, exclaimed in surprise, "Izanagi?!"
Danzō's expression was grim. Careless. I didn't dodge.
But you only get one chance. I have more than ten lives.
Danzō had also transplanted a Sharingan into his left eye socket during the surgery, but he had swapped it back after arriving in the Land of Wind.
But his right arm was still embedded with many three-tomoe Sharingan, just like in the original story—in fact, even more. He had just used one.
Danzō formed seals, intending to use Wood Release again.
But just then, his vision blurred. A branch snaked out from behind him, binding him tightly.
"I'm... tangled in a tree?" Danzō was shocked. "Wood Release? Who else can use Wood Release?"
But he quickly realized—this wasn't Wood Release. It was a genjutsu.
Kakashi's team knew Danzō better than he knew himself. They knew all his tricks. Kakashi and Hiruzen's "shock" just now had been an act, designed to lull him.
Izanagi was bizarre, but they had encountered it often during the Uchiha clan's destruction. They had analyzed its pros and cons. Its greatest weakness: in the brief instant between "dying" and "reappearing," the user is completely unaware of their surroundings.
Danzō sneered, his right Sharingan spinning, and easily broke the genjutsu. Not only that, he tried to reflect it.
But in the same instant he was caught by the genjutsu (cast by Shinku Yūhi, hidden among the ANBU), several shadows snaked up and bound him. The Nara clan's Shadow Possession Jutsu. Cast by several Nara at once.
Danzō was shocked and tried to break free, but it was too late. A dozen kunai flew at him, riddling his immobilized body.
Me, Danzō, killed by... kunai? Am I less than a background character?
Danzō used Izanagi to escape death again.
But this time, the revived Danzō didn't even have time to speak. A hand shot out of the ground beneath him.
"Earth Release: Headhunter Jutsu!"
That was the third time.
Danzō's body vanished and reappeared to the side.
BOOM!
Kakashi had, at some point, sent a Lightning Clone to sneak in close. The moment Danzō appeared, the clone tackled him and self-destructed.
A fourth Sharingan went blind.
Then a fifth time, and a sixth. Every time Danzō reappeared, another attack was waiting.
It was clear this was all a pre-planned strategy.
After the seventh time, Danzō did not reappear.
Kakashi looked at a Yamanaka clan member.
The man immediately reported, "Danzō is in the sea of trees."
Kakashi frowned. This was something their strategy hadn't accounted for.
The forest was Danzō's home turf. If he hid inside and refused to come out, they really had no way to get to him.
(End of Chapter)
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